Linear actuators are mechanical devices which are used to perform repetitive actions requiring linear motion. For example, linear actuators can be used in an assembly plant for placing caps on bottles, for automatically stamping or labeling mail, for glass cutting, for placing chips on circuits, for contacting test-probe assemblies to measure circuits on components, for testing various buttons or touch areas on electronic devices, for automation, and for a wide variety of other purposes as well.
Quality control is important in the manufacture of components that are assembled together to produce an end product. Often, components are manufactured and tested prior to being assembled and before additional value is added within a manufacturing process. Machines such as actuators can be used to inspect, measure, and determine if one or more critical parameters of a component are within tolerances, and if the component operates as specified. For example, a test-probe assembly coupled to the shaft of a moving coil actuator may be used to precisely measure the electronic properties of a component. Sometimes electronic testing can require a prolonged period of time for the measurement to be completed. Depending on the arrangement of the testing equipment and the component, this may in turn require that the moving coil actuator is energized for prolonged period of time. Once the measurements are completed, a determination can be made as to whether the component is operating properly within a tolerance window, or whether the component should be discarded or remanufactured.